Lost Lullaby
by lunaXmidnight
Summary: Edwar lives in the last remaining city. After the Shadow claimed most of the worl he falls for the royal songbird, Bella. They are thrown into danger in this gothic realm. Rated M for lemons, lang. and violence


**Okay I have deleted a lot of my stories that just seemed to go no where, but this one I'm, excited for. It's very different and dark. Kind of a gothic post apocalyptic world. Pictures of outfits and my (crappy) banner are on my profile. Hope you like it. I'm a little nervous about this one, but exicted about it.**

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**Prologue**

The Shadow

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The Pile of Italian Gothic ruins served for the yard of my home. The abandoned church only a mile from the castle that loomed over the brimstone city. The last remaining place that breathed life.

After the Shadow had claimed the rest of the world, one city remained. Volterra. An ancient place in Italy.

The Shadow was a plague, claiming the lives of many. It crawled from the catacomb tombs of France and killed without mercy. Leaving only a handful of survivors left.

The Shadow's victims would grow weak, their skin turning grey and ashy. It would starve them. Make them cough up blood and leave black rashes all over. Cause delusions and hallucinations. Finally the plague would claim them by failing their organs. Shutting down the body piece by piece, rotting them from the inside.

That was several years ago, when I was almost too young to remember. My parents were taken to quarantine, leaving me alone. The Shadow had chosen them. I pretend for my new family that I don't remember… but I do.

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_I was eight when the sentry came to take away my mother and father. It was late, and the crash through the front door startled me awake. The men dressed in black with full masks dragged all of us into the streets. My mother laid on the bricked road, unmoving. Blood seeping from her mouth. Rain beat down in icy bullets, soaking through her hair and night dress. Water puddle around her, mixing with her blood, turning it black. My father, who was weak, struggled to get to his feet as the sentry guards poked him, shouting in Italian for him to stand, with the barrels of their guns. One of the men held me by my shirt, cursing at me as I thrashed violently to get to my mother._

_Finally when my father stood, they began pushing us down the street, leaving my mother who didn't move. I screamed and cried, fighting to get back to her. The man that had seized me struck my cheek with the back of his hand and grabbed my waist, hoisting me up. I tasted blood in my mouth, the entire left side of my face stung as we were taken from our village and to the city that was a prison for the victims of the Shadow._

"_Check the boy!" Someone shouted and I was taken away from my father, the last of I saw him was the back of his head as he kneeled on the ground. An echoing gunshot filled the night and I knew then… I was an orphan._

_They half dragged me through the streets of wailing Shadow victims being pushed and brutalized by sentry guards. We entered a dank stone building that smelled of medical waste and mildew._

_I was pushed into a room that reeked of bleach and was too cold. A man in a black vinyl apron cut away at my shirt and observed my skin, looking for evidence of the Shadow. Then he drew blood from me with a needle. I was sobbing as he looked at my blood under a microscope. He went to the sentry guards standing at the door._

"_He's pure, the Shadow has spared him. Tell Lord Aro. I believe this is the start of the end. More have been healthy." The doctor gestured with his hands for the sentry men to go and a woman came in after a moment and set me down. With a smile she took my hand and nodded at the doctor. "Lord Aro wants the boy in the palace. He's young enough to forget this." The woman said before taking me away from the room and back into the chaos. _

_She pulled me up in her arms, cradling my head, trying to shield some of the freezing rain. "You're safe now. I'm taking you to live with me. I'll take care of you." All I could do was sob into her neck. _

_We were put into the back of an antique black Mercedes and it sped off toward the last safe city. Volterra. "I'm Esme." She whispered. "You are my son now."_

_I wiped my stinging eyes and nodded._

"_What's your name little one?"_

"_Edward Masen."_

_She smiled and hugged me closer. "You're Edward Cullen now. My son. My beautiful son. I will keep you safe…"_

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I sat on the stone railing of the church balcony, staring at the large palace. The torches around it flickered incitingly, an invitation for the masquerade the have every week. I had never gone, but had heard of what it entails. Jesters, dancing an orchestra of live music, fire eaters and opera performances. Then a series of sexual encounters. The women seducing men for money and entertainment. Lord Aro had the finest of prostitutes and concubines in Volterra. Beauties from many worlds that had evaded the Shadow. Persia. Germany. Russia. Spain and Ireland. He was a collector of sorts. Keeping the most beautiful and gifted as prisoners.

One of which I had heard of as the Songbird. They called her _Il Cantante di Anima_. She Sand every week, casting a spell over every man. Her voice matched her beauty. My curiosity had me considering to go. I had the time, the masque would be starting soon. I could easily buy a mask and costume with my earnings. I stood from my perch and climbed down the side of the stoned building and into the shady streets of Volterra.

Bars, clubs and brothels lined the road. Soon I came upon the tailoring shop and saw the seamstress sitting at the counter.

"Edward Cullen. I would never believe I'd see the day you'd come into this shop." Alice exclaimed, coming around.

"I need a mask and something to wear." I simply replied, ignoring her raised brow.

"You're going to the masque tonight? What brought this on?" she asked, looking me over.

"I don't know. Just find me something okay?"

She grinned and disappeared into the rows of costumes of blacks, grays and other dark colors.

Soon she reemerged with an armful of fabric and handed it to me. I changed in the back room and she whistled. I was in a black suit and tie with buckled black leather boots. (picture on my profile) She held her hand out and I saw the mask.

It was black satin with real silver lining. I gave her my pay and slipped the mask on and left into the city towards the palace, forever changing my world with a single glance of a songbird…

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**Okay, I is a little short, but its only a prologue. A playlist will be up soon and you can access it on my profile. Now please give me some feedback.**

**luna**


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